Systems, frameworks and institutional wellbeing

Projects investigating systemic impacts on wellbeing

The Macquarie University Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Centre is conducting a range of projects investigating systemic impacts on social, emotional and cognitive wellbeing.

Learn about these projects, including funding and collaborators.

LifeSpan suicide prevention

Full title: An evidence-based systems approach to suicide prevention: guidance on planning, commissioning and monitoring – LifeSpan

Funded by: The Ramsay Foundation

LifeSpan is an integrated suicide prevention intervention trialled by the Black Dog Institute across four NSW local health districts using nine different strategies. LifeSpan is expected to impact how much and where someone uses healthcare resources through greater awareness and reduced self harm.

This project aims to determine whether LifeSpan has changed the pattern of healthcare resource use and costs by impacting help seeking behaviour and health outcomes. It employs healthcare administration data on:

• hospitals
• emergency department visits
• Medicare subsidised services
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subsidised medicines.

Learn more about the Black Dog Institute’s LifeSpan trials.

Improving WHS of in-home disability and aged care workers

Full title: Improving Work Health and Safety (WHS) of in-home disability and aged care workers

Funded by: NSW Government, BIT Australia

Home or personal care workers provide in-home support to the elderly and people with disabilities. The nature of their work can pose a range of risks which must be anticipated and appropriately responded to, to maintain the health and safety of both the carer and the client.

While client risks are often well understood, carer risks are less understood, especially in in-home environments using digital platforms.

The research will develop a better understanding of:

• care workers’ WHS awareness and experiences
• the risks to workers
• WHS gaps in the in-home aged and disability care sector
• potential risk prevention strategies.

Resilience and mental health in mining

Funded by: ACARP Project Grant

Australian coal mining employees have significantly greater psychological distress levels than non-mining employees.

Our research:

• indicates the coal mining occupational environment includes unique stressors which are detrimental to mental health
• has found a range of organisational and workplace factors that can build resilience in coal mining employees.

This is the first study to investigate and identify these factors in the mining industry.

Our engagement with large mining firms has enabled:

• direction of resources to employee collaboration in resilience and mental health support
• acceptance of recommendations to develop tailored mental health interventions focusing on unique mining-related stressors and resilience supports.

Gender equity in MedTech

Funded by: MTAA Project Funding

In collaboration with the University of Newcastle and the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), the Health and Wellbeing Research Unit (HoWRU) is studying factors that contribute to retaining and advancing women in MedTech.

Interviews during 2020 and 2021 generated rich data on macro, meso and micro barriers and enablers to gender equity.

In 2022, the interim report based on our qualitative research findings was accepted by the MTAA and has been accepted by individual MedTech participant organisations.

Menopause, women and work

Funded by: Research Productivity Support Scheme

In 2021, the Health and Wellbeing Research Unit (HoWRU) established a research project in menopause at work with the aim of investigating the factors that influence menopausal women’s workplace experiences, career longevity and satisfaction.

Menopausal symptoms have been associated with negative career outcomes including:

• increased turnover
• reduced time spent in employment
• increased absenteeism
• decreased career progression.

This research project is breaking new research ground while also collaborating with organisations and the digital health CRC to develop interventions that address some of the challenges associated with menopause and work.

Designing a holistic model of advice to improve retirement planning

Funded by: ARC Linkage with Allianz Retire+

This project tests a new model to improve retirement planning, integrating advice from careers, health and finances to optimise financial and psychological outcomes.

We asked people to reflect on when and why they wanted to leave work, and whether their health would enable them to realise their goal before they consider how much money they will need.

This project incorporated a multidisciplinary team including researchers from psychology, finance and medicine.

More than 800 Australians participated, with excellent results measured in terms of financial literacy, workplace exit strategies, goal setting and retirement planning.

Learn more about Allianz Retire+.

PROMOTE: a trial to promote evidence use

Full title: PROMOTE: a cluster-randomised implementation trial to promote evidence use

Funded by: The MRFF 2020 Clinician Researchers, Applied Research in Health, Department of Health Funding

There are more than 445,000 Australians living with stroke, and around half of these people struggle to move their arm. Yet not even half of those who would benefit will receive the recommended rehabilitation to address their arm and hand weakness.

The PROMOTE trial will look to establish the effectiveness of an implementation package – spanning education, skill training, on-site support and resourcing – to increase adherence and provide new guidance on implementing evidence-based practice in stroke rehabilitation nationally, for the benefit of stroke survivors.

Macquarie University is leading the education resource development for clinicians.